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I hope there are even Das Schwarze Auge/The Dark Eye Players around here...

Is it possible to neutralize magic traps (Traps created by applicatus or similar spells, not arcanovi) using Koschbasalt and / or Blaubasalt?

I'm german, so I don't know if the names of these materials are different in the english version of DSA (TDE), and I have found no english page where I could look it up. If you know TDE but have no idea what Koschbasalt is: It's the material used to prevent imprisoned mages from using their spells, as it seems to absorb magic.

I'm interested in opinions, as I was unable to find something about this question on the internet.

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Welcome to RPG.StackExchange, and great first question! Take a look at the FAQ and take a look around. – C. Ross♦ Mar 7 '12 at 16:18
Definitely echoing Cross here, Welcome! Excellent question and I wish I had an answer. – wax eagle Mar 8 '12 at 4:35
Good question, does anyone know where I could find the English version of TDE? I've played Drakensang and it seems really cool, but it's a little obfuscated in the result feedback (or I'm overthinking things). As far as trap neutralization, I don't know; is it a reaction with the mage (i.e. ingested) or a sort of dispersed effect? I don't have the rules, obviously, but if it works within the mage's physiology it probably won't work, and if it works on magic as a sort of present force then it probably would. – Kyle Willey Mar 8 '12 at 6:18
Durr, you can find the books on Amazon (or DriveThruRPG!) in English. What edition are you using? – Kyle Willey Mar 8 '12 at 6:22
@KyleWilley We are using the latest german Version (4.1), but playing before the events that led to the change between 4.0 and 4.1 (Aka the return of borbarad). – malexmave Mar 8 '12 at 9:26
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Using it the right way, it should be possible (even ones made with an arcanovi).
What does Koschbasalt?
Koschbasalt absorbs magic, so if you entomb a magic trap or at least cover the magic muzzle with a thick enough Koschbasalt wall, it should absorb the ignifaxius or whatever spell you want to fire.
But that means, you have to know that there a trap is, where the trap is and you have to cover it with Koschbasalt without triggering it.
But if you can do all that, I don't see why it shouldn't work.
But wearing a small rock of Koschbasalt wouldn't help.

Blaubasalt, the stronger concentrated essence of Koschbasalt, can absorb magic so strongly, that it can sometimes divert magic from its target to itself (I don't find the reference in my DSA books for that, but I'm sure that I've read it).
So wearing a rock of Blaubasalt could help (sometimes), but could also have it drawbacks. If you wear it, it could attract the ignifaxius, which should hit your partymember. And if it comes from behind and you have it on your breast, it could target the ignifaxius directly into your back. And the healing magic from your party mage also might not hit you ...

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From what I understood from the rules, Blaubasalt does not divert the actual spell, but the magic within it, and only for failed spells. Which means, in my understanding, that the situation you described (An ignifaxius being directed into you) would not work that way, because the ignifaxius would have to have failed to be redirected, and the magical energy would be safely absorbed by the Blaubasalt, regardless of if it has to travel through your body. The only hazzard seems to be that the blaubasalt overloads and releases all the magic at once. Source: "Stäbe, Ringe, Dschinnenlampen", page 114 – malexmave Mar 10 '12 at 21:19
Although I would be interested in the section you mentioned, if it differs from the one I just semi-quoted. You are right though, healing magic would also have a nasty difficulty being casted near Blaubasalt. Sadly, you need to carry at least 10 "stone" worth of Blaubasalt for it to do anything, so your backpack would be pretty filled up by it, and spontaneous explosions might also ruin your day. – malexmave Mar 10 '12 at 21:20

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